Network Operations Engineer

Empower; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 87,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Empower AI in Washington, DC seeks a Network Operations Engineer to drive the design, deployment, and ongoing optimization of the global network and supporting systems. You will contribute to enterprise architecture, evaluate new technologies, and ensure robust performance for government-scale networks.

The role requires strong experience with WAN/LAN, routing, switching, and security, plus hands-on work with Cisco and Juniper platforms and Unified Communications systems.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of WAN/LAN administration, deployment, and troubleshooting.
• Bachelor's degree in IT or a related field.
• CCNA certification (minimum); CCNP preferred.
• Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Participate in enterprise architecture analysis, evaluation, design, integration, and documentation across the global network (LAN, WAN, CAN, VLAN).
• Apply high-level business and technical principles to difficult problems to derive creative engineering solutions.
• Make recommendations to management on desirable network solutions and opportunities.
• Research, evaluate and document new products and tools.
• Serve as a troubleshooter on complex network problems on Tier 2 and incident tickets.
• Perform complex engineering, security design, implementation and maintenance on Unified Communications Systems.
• Research, evaluate and approve hardware and software solutions for complex problems.
• Execute complex implementation plans for network/system upgrades.

Skills

WAN/LAN administration

Cisco devices

Juniper devices

Routing & Switching

Troubleshooting complex network issues

Enterprise network design

UC systems knowledge

Education

Bachelor's in IT or related field

Tools

Cisco IOS

Juniper Junos

CCNA

CCNP

ITIL

Job description

Network Operations Engineer

Job ID: 2026-9212

Job Locations: US-DC

Category: Telecommunications

Type: Regular Full-Time

Overview

Empower AI is AI for government. Empower AI gives federal agency leaders the tools to elevate the potential of their workforce with a direct path for meaningful transformation. Headquartered in Reston, Va., Empower AI leverages three decades of experience solving complex challenges in Health, Defense, and Civilian missions. Our proven Empower AI Platform provides a practical, sustainable path for clients to achieve transformation that is true to who they are, what they do, how they work, with the resources they have. The result is a government workforce that is exponentially more creative and productive. For more information, visit www.Empower.ai.

Empower AI is proud to be recognized as a 2024 Military Friendly Employer by Viqtory, the publisher of G.I. Jobs. This designation reflects the company's commitment to hiring and supporting active-duty and veteran employees.

Responsibilities

We have an exciting opportunity at the Department of State! The Network Operations Engineer is responsible for the implementation and evolution of the network and supporting systems supporting the global network infrastructure for the customer.

Responsibilties:

• You will participate in high-level enterprise architecture analysis, evaluation, design, integration, documentation, and development across the global network (LAN, WAN, CAN, VLAN).
• You must apply high-level business and technical principles and methods to very difficult technical problems to arrive at creative engineering solutions.
• You will make recommendations to management on desirable network solutions and opportunities.
• You will be required to research, evaluate and document new products and tools.
• You serve as a troubleshooter on complex network problems on all Tier 2 and incident tickets of all priorities.
• You will perform complex engineering, security design, implementation and maintenance tasks on Unified Communications Systems.
• You will research, evaluate and approve hardware and software solutions for complex problems and solutions.
• Additionally, you will be expected to execute complex implementation plans for network/system upgrades.

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

The following are the education and experience required for this position:

• 5+ years Intermediate expertise in administration, configuration, deployment, and troubleshooting of WANs, LANs, common network appliances (Cisco and Juniper), and networking protocols to include routing and switching.
• Bachelor's in IT or related field
• Cisco CCNA (min.); CCNP desired
• Secret Security Clearance

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS

• CCNP certification certification - ITIL

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS This position requires the ability to perform the below essential functions:

• Sitting for long periods
• Standing for long periods
• Ambulate throughout an office
• Ambulate between several buildings
• Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl as required
• Repeatedly lift and carry weight up to 40 pounds
• Travel by land or air transportation 25 %

About Empower AI

All hiring and promotion decisions at Empower AI are based on merit to bring the best talent available to contribute to our firm's overall success. It is the policy of Empower AI not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status. Empower AI is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

The base salary range represents the anticipated low and high end of the salary range for this position. Actual salaries may vary based on various factors including but not limited to work location, skills, experience, gov con contractual requirements, and performance. The range listed is just one component of Empower AI's total compensation package for employees.

Pay Band Min

USD $87,320.00/Yr.

Pay Band Max

USD $135,160.00/Yr.